Lacing-fastener.



w. E. G'RAM.

LAUING FASTENER, APPLIOATION FILED MAB.23,1910.

987,556. Ptented Mar.21,1911.

llNTED %TTE% PATN @FFTQE.

WILLIAM E. CRAIVI, OF EASTFORID, CONNECTICUT.

LACING-FASTENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NILLIAM E. CRAM, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Eastford, in the county of Windham and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLacing-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe lace fasteners and has for its object theprovision of a device which is adapted to secure the end or ends of theshoe lacings instead of tying the ends together in a knot as is usuallypracticed.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference tothe description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a front view of a portion of theupper of a shoe having secured thereto lacing fastening devicesembodying the features of the pres ent invention. Fig. 2 represents afront elevation, partly in section, of a device embodying the featuresof the invention. Fig. 3 represents a rear elevation of the same. Fig.4: represents a side elevation of said fastening device. Fig. 5represents an end elevation of the same, and Fig. 6 represents amodified form of said devlce applied to a portion of the shoe upper.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figuresof the draw- 1n s.

Tn the drawings, 10 represents a portion of a shoe upper to which issecured a plurality of lacing studs 11. The two edges of the shoe upperare secured together in the position indicated in Fig. 1 by means of alacing 12 co-acting with said lacing studs 11 in the usual manner.

The lacing fastener is provided at one end with the forked arms 13 whichare adapted to straddle the upper lacing studs, said lacing fastenerbeing secured in position by means of a rivet 14: passing through theupper 10. This lacing fastener is composed of a plate the body portion15 of which is provided with an eyelet hole 16 whlle a portion of saidplate is bent over as indicated at 17 parallel to said body portion 15and terminates in a T-shaped projection 18 extending outwardly from saidbase plate substantially midway between the ends of said body por-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 23, 1910.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911. Serial No. 551,188.

tion 15. 'One arm 19 of said T-shaped proj ection is substantially atright angles wit-h the shank thereof while the opposite arm 20 extendsdownwardly toward said body portion 15.

Between the body portion 15 and the bentover portion 17 of the baseplate is interposed one end of a spring member 21, the inner ends ofwhich are provided with the lateral extensions 22 forming shoulderswhich engage with the clips 23 formed upon the bent-over portion 11 andbent down around the under face of the body portion 15 to lock saidbent-over portion 17 said spring member 21 and body portion 15 together.It is obvious that the shoulders 22 prevent the end displacement of thespring 21.

The end of each lacing near the top of the upper is passed around firstthe spring 21, then around the shank of the projection 18, then betweensaid shank and the spring 21 and underneath the curved hook member 20.Any tendency for the lacing to loosen will cause a movement in thedirection of the arrows on Fig. 1 and such movementofthelacing will tendto forcethe spring 21 into more firm contact with that portion of thelacing 12 between the shank of the projection 18 and said spring,causing such a binding thereon as to prevent the ends 24. from slipping.It is obvious that if one of the lacings 12 should break the hold uponthe other lacing is suflicient to retain the two edges of the upper incontact.

The construction of the fastener is very simple and at the same time isvery efficient in its operation inasmuch as it secures a positivebinding action upon the lacing which is increased whenever any strain isbrought to bear upon the lacing tending to disconnect it from thefastening device. By its use upon a pair of shoes the lacings may bequickly adjusted and secured so that accidental unlacing will beprevented effectually.

The construction shown in the drawings is adapted to be applied to shoesin use or after their manufacture, as the forked ends 13 may be readilyadjusted to one of the upper lacing hooks and secured in position bymeans of any ordinary rivet 1 1. hen, however, the device is applied tothe shoe in the course of manufacture both ends of the base plate areprovided with eyelet holes 16 by which the base portion may be securedto the upper by means of the rivet 14L as inclicated in Fig. 6 of thedrawings.

It is believed the many advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be fully understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A shoe lace fastener, consisting of a base plate having at one endarins adapted to straddle a lacing hook and at the opposite end meanswhereby it may be secured to a shoe upper; a T-shaped projectionextending from the outer face of said base plate; and a spring securedto said base plate and extending outwardly opposite the shank of saidprojection.

2. A shoe lace fastener, consisting of a base portion formed of a platebent over on itself and having formed on the end of one member thereofan outwardly extending projection with lateral arms; and a springinterposed between the two parallel parts of said base portion andsecured thereto with its outer end extending outwardly opposite saidprojection.

3. A shoe lace fastener, consisting of a base portion formed of a platebent over on itself and having formed integral therewith clips by whichsaid bent-over portions are secured together and having formed on itsenter and an enlarged outwardly extending projection with lateral arms;and a spring secured to said base portion and extending outwardlyopposite said projection.

Signed by me at 4% Post Oiiice St}, Boston, Mass, this 22d day of March,1910.

WVILLIAM E. CRAM. l Vitnesses NATHAN C. LQMBARD, VALTER E. LOMBARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

